New Delhii: It was a historic second for america because the Odysseus spacecraft softly landed on the moon on Thursday (native time), breaking a 50-year hiatus for the reason that final American lunar touchdown. The Nova-C lander, developed by Intuitive Machines (IM) – a business area firm – additionally achieved a outstanding feat by turning into the primary privately-owned spacecraft to achieve the lunar floor. This was the primary time an American spacecraft had made a comfortable touchdown on the moon for the reason that finish of the Apollo program in 1972.
The Odysseus touchdown adopted India’s profitable lunar mission in August 2023, when the Chandrayaan-Three lander turned the primary Indian spacecraft to land safely on the moon. India additionally completed a historic first by touchdown a robotic rover on the lunar South Pole, a area that had by no means been explored earlier than within the 21st century.
LIVE NOW: NASA science is touchdown on the Moon aboard @Int_Machines’ uncrewed Nova-C lander, named Odysseus.
That is the primary time an American business lunar lander has made it to orbit across the Moon. https://t.co/Tosd9y9yxi
— NASA (@NASA) February 22, 2024
“We’re on the floor, and we’re transmitting,” Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus introduced on the webcast. “Welcome to the moon.” The corporate has not but confirmed the standing of the lander, nevertheless it has established contact with the moon. The Odysseus spacecraft landed close to Malapert A, a crater close to the moon’s south pole.
In line with NASA, this web site is “(A) comparatively flat and secure area is throughout the closely cratered southern highlands on the facet of the Moon seen from Earth.” The spacecraft confronted some communication points earlier than touchdown, and it missed the anticipated touchdown time.
Nonetheless, an Intuitive Machines flight controller reported that the lander was “not useless but” they usually had acquired a “faint sign”. The US is the one nation that has despatched people to the moon, with the final manned mission being Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA stated it chosen this touchdown web site for Intuitive Machines’ first mission as a result of it needed to study extra in regards to the lunar surroundings and the way communications work on this space. NASA additionally has plans to discover the lunar south pole as a result of it believes it’s the excellent location for a future astronaut base.
